Variable coverage bed covering

ABSTRACT

A new and improved bed covering has an opening across horizontally at about midpoint of the vertical length of the bed covering as a result of a generous overlapping of an upper portion and a lower portion of the bed covering. The overlapping of the two portions of the bed covering gives a traditional /conventional concept of whole-body coverage and at the same time the overlapping layers resulting the opening offers a new concept of a variable coverage by providing an easy access to the occupant&#39;s body part(s) to be exposed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a bed covering, more particularly, has an opening across horizontally at predetermined location for an exposure of certain part of body as desired or needed (i.e., foot).

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are numerous types of bed coverings with many different shapes, designs, fabrics, thicknesses, and color schemes, however, all are mainly for warmth. They include sheets, blankets, comforters, and more. These traditional/conventional bed coverings failed to consider user's specific needs and preference to expose certain part of body. This conventional bed covering also ignores to consider needs and preference of other occupant in the same bed covering without inconveniencing the other.

Many inventors in the past considered such short comings of conventional/traditional bed coverings and put efforts to solve similar problems for permitting a pair of occupant may individually adjust according to a temperature preference of each occupant without affecting the coverage of the other occupant.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,171 to Allen (2001) is a bed sheet and blanket combination which has two separated pockets with pocket opening for insertion of an insulated material. The pocket is provided with independent blanket support upon the under sheet to accommodate user's preference. This invention has the concept of compartmentalizing, destroys the aesthetic appearance of the conventional bedding because of unevenness of surface. Cost of manufacturing is another negative factor. An invention such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,396 to Carapezza (2002) considered a temperature preference of one occupant by simply separating two occupants in the bed using also the concept of compartmentalizing of U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,171 to Allen. Thereafter, one inventor thought about a specific need of an individual to warm a foot by adding a pocket attached to a conventional bed covering to house cold feet (U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,521 to Awaits (1996)).

Disadvantages of the aforementioned prior arts are too unconventional which destroys traditional aesthetic appearance, costly to manufacture, a compartment separates occupants in the same bed covering, and prior arts concentrated on extra coverage for certain part of body rather than one's specific needs and preference to expose certain part of body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A need has arisen for a new concept of bed coverings: to accommodate individual's specific needs and preference to expose certain parts of body; keeping traditional aesthetic appearance; occupants are not separated and at the same time he or she has an option of choosing his or her preferences and needs without inconveniencing other occupant; comparable cost to manufacture; and traditional concept of whole-body covering with an option for exposure. An opening created as a result of overlapping layers of two portions of bed covering makes the present invention distinguishing from prior arts discussed and traditional/conventional bed covering. The present invention offers a dual function: a whole body coverage and at the same time an option to choose his or her preference or needs for an exposure of certain part of body.

It is an object of present invention to provide a dual-function bed covering for both warmth as to the whole body covering and an opening between the overlapping area for an exposure of certain body part(s) for the purpose of cooling or relieving from pressure. This present invention offers a new variable coverage to accommodate one in-need of exposure without inconveniencing the one sharing the same bed covering and yet keeping traditional/ conventional appearance and concept of whole-body covering.

Other objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention will become apparent upon the consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed covering embodying the invention where one occupant exposes one's feet (or any part of body as desired) without inconveniencing other occupant in the same bed 1.

FIG. 2 is a plain view of the bed covering with an opening across horizontally embodying the present invention. As hereinafter described, bed covering 2 is ready to be used as intended: having an opening across horizontally.

FIG. 3 gives a plane sectional view of upper portion of the bed covering 7 showing outer overlapping area 10.

FIG. 4 gives a plane sectional view of lower portion of the bed covering 8 showing inner overlapping area 18.

FIG. 5 gives an enlarged perspective view of an opening as a result of overlapping of both upper portion (7) and lower portion (8) comprising a mouth of opening 19 and an end of opening 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 through 5 thereof, a new variable coverage bed covering embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference number 2 will be described.

As shown in the drawings, the bed covering 2 is comprised of flexible panel of material, such as, for example, material typically used for forming blankets and even sheets. While the most preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates a blanket formed on a relatively heavier textile material, however, the aspects of the invention may also be applied to relatively thinner textile materials used.

This flexible panel is generally rectangular wherein the perimeter is defined by top edge 3, bottom edge 5, first left edge 4, and first right edge 6 of the bed covering 2. This bed covering 2 comprises upper portion 7 and lower portion 8. The upper and lower portion 7 & 8 are initially two separate pieces until they are vertically joined by overlapping the two portions at predetermined distant.

The upper portion 7 is generally rectangular wherein the perimeter is defined by top edge 3, second left edge 11, second right edge 12, and second bottom edge 15. The width of top edge 3 and the width of second bottom edge 15 are substantially equal and substantially parallel to each other. The length of second left edge 11 and the length of second right edge 12 are substantially equal and substantially parallel to each other.

The lower portion 8 is generally rectangular wherein the perimeter is defined by second top edge 20, third left edge 16, third right edge 17, and bottom edge 5. The width of top edge 20 and the width of bottom edge 5 are substantially equal and substantially parallel to each other. The length of third left edge 16 and the length of third right edge 17 are substantially equal and substantially parallel to each other.

All the edges are substantially linear and straight. The length of upper portion 8 is generally longer than the length of lower portion, however, it could also be shorter or equal to the length of lower portion.

To make a one continuous piece of bed covering 2 with an opening across horizontally between the overlapping areas: the upper portion 7 and the lower portion 8 are put together by substantially coinciding second top edge 20 of the lower portion of the bed covering 8 underneath toward second bottom edge 15 of upper portion 7 at a predetermined distant. There are inner overlapping area 18 and outer overlapping area 10 as shown FIG. 3 and FIG. 4

The overlapping areas 10 and 18 are permanently joined by stitches vertically sewn together at far left side to result a left side seam 13. A right side seam 14 is resulted by stitches vertically sewn together far right side of both layers of overlapping area 10 and 18 as shown in FIG. 5 The left vertical seam 13 is substantially perpendicular to second bottom edge 15 and second top edge 20. The right vertical seam is substantially perpendicular to second bottom edge 15 and second top edge 20. The length of left side seam 13 and the length of right side seam 14 are substantially equal and they are predetermined and controlled by how much overlapping is desired.

The second top edge 20 is a periphery of mouth of opening 19 and second bottom edge 15 is a periphery of end of opening. These two peripheries are having free edges (overlapping layers 10 and 18 are not sewn together) thus, creates an opening.

The opening substantially across horizontally and continuous throughout between inner layer 18 and outer layer 10 comprising a mouth of opening 19 to receive a part of body and end of opening 9 to exit the part of body to the outside of the bed covering 2 as shown FIG. 5.

Since certain changes may be made in the foregoing disclosure without departing the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and depicted in the accompanying drawings be constructed in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A variable coverage bed covering having a body of flexible panel comprising: an upper portion, a lower portion, an opening, an outer layer of overlapping area, an inner layer of overlapping area, a right vertical seam, a left vertical seam, a mouth of opening, and an end of opening for exposure.
 11. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 1, wherein said covering being formed by said upper portion being juxtaposed against and interconnected to said lower portion by vertically placing said lower portion underneath said upper portion along respective peripheral edges of said upper and lower portion resulting an overlapping area having said overlapping layers .
 12. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 1, wherein said opening being formed across horizontally at a predetermined distance as a result of the overlapping area.
 13. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 1, wherein said opening having said mouth of opening to introduce the occupant's body part to be exposed and said end of opening to expose the occupant's body part for an exposure to the outside of the bed covering.
 14. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 1, wherein said portions being permanently connected by stitches or by similar means over a right vertical peripheral edge and a left vertical peripheral edge of said overlapping layers to result said respective vertical seams.
 15. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 1, wherein said right vertical seam having a length that is substantially equal to the length of the right vertical peripheral edge of said overlapping layers.
 16. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 1, wherein said left vertical seam having a length that is substantially equal to the length of the left vertical peripheral edge of said overlapping layers.
 17. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 1, wherein said right and said left vertical seams may not be in equal length.
 18. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 1, wherein said bed covering having flexible panel is fabric.
 19. A variable coverage bed covering, comprising: a body of flexible panel having configured a substantially rectangular shape, wherein said panel having a perimeter being defined by a top edge, first left edge, first right edge and bottom edge; said body being formed by interconnecting an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said upper portion having a perimeter being defined by said top edge, second bottom edge, second left edge and second right edge; wherein said lower portion having a perimeter being defined by second top edge, bottom edge, third left edge and third right edge; an opening being formed by generous overlapping of said portions, wherein said opening having a mouth of opening and an end of opening to receive the occupant's body part and to exit the body part to the outside the bed covering respectively through and between an inner overlapping layer and an outer overlapping layer; said overlapping layers having a perimeter being defined by said second bottom edge, a left vertical peripheral edge, said second top edge, and a right vertical peripheral edge; said vertical peripheral edges having a left vertical side seam and a right vertical side seam respectively.
 20. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 19, wherein said first left edge and said first right edge are parallel to each other.
 21. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 19, wherein said left vertical side seam may not be more than 2 feet.
 22. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 19, wherein said right vertical seam may not be more than 2 feet
 23. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 19, wherein said mouth of opening having said second top edge as being a free horizontal peripheral edge to receive the occupant's body part to let it through and between said overlapping layers.
 24. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 19, wherein said end of opening having said second bottom edge as being a free horizontal peripheral edge to let the body part to exit for an exposure to the outside said bed covering.
 25. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 19, wherein said second left edge and said second right edge may not be in equal length.
 26. A variable coverage bed covering in claim 19, wherein said third left edge and said third right edge may not be in equal length. 